The May 2026 issue of the Alternative Power Report produced by Power Systems Research and authored by Guy Youngs, features articles on battery development, critical materials, Kentucky coal and an update on Brazil’s electric buses. Read these articles and more in the May 2026 issue of Alternative Power Report today. PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast and Technology Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

St. Paul, MN —The Power Systems Research Truck Production Index (PSR-TPI) decreased from 119 to 114, or -4.2%, for the three-month period ending March 31, 2026, from Q4 2025. The year-over-year (Q1 2025 to Q1 2026) gain for the PSR-TPI was, 113 to 114, or 0.9%. The PSR-TPI measures truck production globally and across six regions: North America, China, Europe, South America, Japan & Korea and Emerging Markets. This data comes from OE Link, the proprietary database maintained by Power Systems Research.

All Regions. MHCV demand will vary by region in 2026. North America and European vehicle demand is expected to improve somewhat over last year; China is expected to see a single digit decline in production. Much of the decline comes on the heels of very high levels of production in 2025.

Global Index. Overall, global production is expected to decline slightly in 2026 over last year. Ongoing tariffs along with the conflict in the Middle East and the shipping disruption in the Strait of Hormuz are putting pressure on truck demand this year.

North America. Medium and heavy truck production in North America is expected to increase by 9.4% this year compared with low 2025 production. While class 8 truck production is expected to increase by 11.3% this year as order rates for class 8 trucks improved strongly from December – March. Improvement in freight rates and freight demand along with tightening truck capacity and some level of truck pre-buy ahead of the 2027 GHG emission regulations is expected to drive increased truck production this year. However, a protracted conflict in the Middle East would put significant downside pressure on truck demand primarily due to higher fuel cost, supply chain disruptions and an overall concern about the state of the economy moving forward throughout the year.  PSR

By Jim Downey is Vice President-Global Data Products at Power Systems Research
Chris Fisher is Senior Commercial Vehicle Analyst at Power Systems Research

Liquid electrolytes have been key EV batteries for some time now and the lithium-ion formula is the most important component. There are a lot of different formulae that do various things such as the removal of toxic inputs from the supply chain, or reductions in weight, elimination of fire hazards, and cutting costs.

The ultimate goal is to combine all these improvements in one electrolyte, but solid state or semi solid state batteries are appearing before that goal can be achieved and they promise to revolutionize the battery market. But, getting the electrons to move about within a solid is difficult at best. And that’s where Zwitterions come in.

Zwitterions are the building blocks of a new electrolyte created by a team of scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a branch of the US Department of Energy located in Tennessee. ORNL scientists believe that when changing the battery polymer by the interdiction of Zwitterions they can make significant improvements to batteries. But what is a Zwitterion? A Zwitterion is a molecule that contains both positive and negative charges but is overall electrically neutral.

Source: Clean Technica: Read The Article

PSR Analysis: While this technology is a few years away (it’s only in the early stages of research right now) it shows great potential in making solid state batteries actually work as designed.   PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

The technology works by making atomic sized holes in the graphene, which allows the aluminum ions to penetrate and be held in the graphene to make a higher energy density, thus enabling them to outperform standard lithium batteries.

Australia-based Graphene Manufacturing Group has reported a significant increase in the energy density of its graphene aluminum-ion battery technology, as it moves closer to commercialization of ultra-fast charging cells

Source: BEST Mag: Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Graphene Manufacturing Group started developing prototypes back in 2021, so these improvements in energy density, along with rapid charging abilities, make graphene aluminum batteries a potential market disruptor.   PSR

For instance, in 2026, the U.S. critical minerals list include 60 minerals that companies in defense, agriculture, power, mining, and other industry sectors, need to get their jobs done. But spiking demand, restricted access, and rising prices can make it challenging to get these minerals

This is why experts at the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) are researching other ways to make, mine for, or recycle these minerals. This article looks at three ways to get more of these precious minerals:

• How To Mine Metals From Seawater, Industrial Waste, and More
• An Economic Way To Recycle Graphite
• Supply Chain Recipes To Cut Costs and Energy

Source: Clean Technica: Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Given the Chinese near monopoly on Rare Earths and the resulting global supply constraints there is a big rush to secure supplies of critical minerals, and this is taking place all over the globe. Any way to improve access is vitally important.    PSR

CATL’s new battery expands its sodium-ion lineup beyond passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and auxiliary power, into utility-scale and commercial storage.

In terms of applications, the battery is aimed at utility-scale storage, renewable energy base projects, and AIDC (artificial intelligence data center), storage scenarios, according to CATL. Interestingly the battery pack has compatibility with CATL’s 587Ah Lithium battery.

Source: ESS News: Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Sodium-ion batteries offer several advantages over traditional lithium-ion batteries, namely that Sodium is more abundant and widely available than lithium, which reduces the cost of production and supply chain risks, and that Sodium batteries have a reduced environmental impact during disposal and recycling compared to lithium-ion batteries.   PSR

3,000 units is the estimate by Power Systems Research of the number of Crawlers expected to be produced in North America during 2026.

Crawler Dozers are heavy, driver-operated machines used for clearing and grading land. Usually, they have continuous treads and a broad hydraulic blade in front. Large crawler dozers normally have a set of claws called a ripper that is installed at the machine’s rear end and can crush hard rock.

A Crawler Loader is a piece of mobile construction equipment used to load materials; it’s used primarily in tough, off-road terrain. It’s similar to a wheel loader, except it has treads instead of wheels.

This product information comes from industry interviews and from two proprietary databases maintained by Power Systems Research: EnginLink , which provides information on engines, and OE Link, a database of equipment manufacturers.

Trends. In 2025, production of Crawlers in North America (US) decreased 9.7%, and production is expected to remain flat in 2026 with a nominal 1% drop.  The decline is attributed to losing production by Case along with the weakening in construction related activities that include supply chain issues.

High dealer inventory (mostly cost related) and slower demand for new equipment resulted in lower production.

Prior manufacturing increases were reduced with newer efficient models that make tasks more productive and safer. 2021-year declines were mostly due to COVID-19 related factors such as plant shutdowns, parts availability and lack of workforce.

The market also dropped significantly in the Spring of 2020 – 2021 caused by low oil prices along with a lull in mining and construction projects.   PSR

Carol Turner is Senior Analyst, Global Operations, for Power Systems Research

Mack Trucks said at the ACT Expo in Las Vegas its MP13 powertrain has been re-engineered to meet stringent EPA 2027 emissions standards while also getting a performance boost for both highway and vocational applications. 

The new MP13 will deliver up to 540 horsepower and 1,950 lb.-ft. of torque, but beyond raw power, the engine increases braking horsepower by more than 20%, reaching 630 braking hp for improved stopping capability.

To meet the 2027 federal standards, Mack Senior Vice President Govi Kannan said engineers focused on more complete combustion cycles to reduce CO2, soot, and particulate matter. “This will be our strongest 13-liter that we have built,” Kannan said. The cost of compliance, Kannan said, is expected to be roughly $10,000 over the prior generation engine. 

The engine is paired with an updated mDRIVE automated manual transmission, featuring enhanced engine-to-transmission communication for faster shifting. Advanced predictive software and an optimized torque curve—peaking as low as 900 RPM—further support fuel economy through down speeding.

The efficiency gains vary by model. While the MP13 offers a 3% fuel improvement in the Mack Pioneer, Anthem, and Granite models, it reaches a 6% efficiency increase in the all-new Mack Keystone compared to its predecessor, the Pinnacle. Mack officials noted the Keystone’s gains were achieved without sacrificing the off-road versatility required for vocational work.

The EPA 2027-compliant MP13 will be available for order in August 2026 and be available in Mack’s entire long-haul and vocational lineup.

Source: CCJ

PSR Analysis. Depending on the application, the improvement in fuel economy will help off-set the additional up-front cost of the 2027 compliant engines.  While the 13 liter engines for both Mack and Volvo will be able to meet the 2027 emission regulations for their 13 liter engine program, they will be replacing the current MP7 11 liter engine with the new Cummins X10 engine program.   PSR

Chris Fisher is Senior Commercial Vehicle Analyst at Power Systems Research

Volvo Trucks has unveiled a multi-billion SEK investment of an entirely new 13-liter combustion engine platform. Engineered to meet Europe’s strictest efficiency mandates, these engines are the most fuel-efficient ever produced by the OEM, delivering immediate reductions in CO2 emissions.

Crucially, the platform is built with a “fuel-agnostic” architecture; the base engine is ready to run on renewable diesel (HVO) and bio-gas, and is structurally designed to accommodate future hydrogen internal combustion engine (H2ICE) applications. This platform rollout complements Volvo’s existing battery-electric and fuel-cell programs, cementing their “three-path” strategy toward net-zero emissions by 2040 while continuing to secure top-tier safety marks, including recent five-star Euro NCAP ratings for its regional distribution trucks.

Source: Volvo Trucks Global Product Launch (May 12, 2026)

PSR Analysis. This massive powertrain investment signals that Europe’s leading heavy-truck manufacturer is doubling down on the internal combustion engine’s future by decoupling it from fossil fuels. For players like Traton (MAN/Scania) and Daimler Truck, Volvo’s move sets a high technical benchmark: zero-emission targets cannot rely solely on batteries.

By ensuring the new engine platform can transition seamlessly to hydrogen combustion, Volvo creates an incredibly flexible asset for transport operators. Hauliers can buy the truck today for HVO or biogas compliance and trust the architecture for future hydrogen integration, avoiding the risk of stranded assets. It also shifts the regulatory conversation in Brussels, validating the argument that the mechanical ecosystem of the European automotive supply chain can be preserved while achieving aggressive decarbonization.   PSR

Emiliano Marzoli is Manager of European Operations at Power Systems Research

Source: European Commission Draft-IAA Analysis & Review (May 2026)

PSR Analysis. The finalized text of the IAA represents the most aggressive, defensive pivot in modern EU trade policy, directly establishing a subsidized “lead market” for domestic. Non-EU OEMs—particularly Chinese and US manufacturers—will find themselves legally locked out of lucrative municipal tenders and state-backed construction projects unless they establish massive, vertically integrated European facilities that fulfill local-content quotas.

However, the strict origin requirements for core materials like aluminum and concrete mean European machinery manufacturers will face a “green premium” spike in raw material costs. Companies must quickly restructure their supply lines to guarantee that components are tracked and verified as “Union-origin,” accelerating the adoption of digital supply-chain tracking across the Continent.   PSR

Emiliano Marzoli is Manager of European Operations at Power Systems Research